Carbon paper holder



Feb. 24, 1953 v. J. ST JOHN 2,529,612

CARBON PAPER HOLDER Filed June 11, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 INVENTOR.

VINCENT J. ST. JOHN FIG.5 y

ATTORNEYS Feb. 24, 1953 v. J. ST JOHN CARBON PAPER HOLDER 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed June 11, 1949 FIG.

FIG-6 INVENTOR. VINCENT J. ST JOHN FIG-8 ATT ORNEYS Patented Feb. 24, 1953 UNITED- S1'FATES OF P ICE GARBQN P-APER. HODDERi Vincent J; -St.'1.J ohn, Brccksvillc,=-,0hio;

Application'iune'll, 19492'Scria1TNo: 9815223? (Cl. 282-29);

2,:Claimss 1 Thisv invention relates tocarbon paper-holders; for. use: in typewriter-s or equivalent machineswhen' one or more carbon copies-of typed matter arei.to;be' made. More particularly, theinven' tiion relates to a carbon paper holder which comprisesaiflexible backing sheet and a plurality of superposed carbon paper sheets detachably inter locked;with saidbackingsheet, the copy paper sheets being interleaved or alternately arranged withthecarbon paper sheets in the'useof the holder, with. the paper sheet which. is to' b'e-the original orribbonf copy being positioned, of course, over thetop-most carbon paper sheet.

The; invention has for one-of its objects the provision of a carbon paper holder in whichthe carbonpaper sheets are detachably interlocked with the backing sheet, the nature or character" of;the. interlocking means being such'as to efiectively maintain the carbon paper sheetsin regis try oralignment and yet permitthe carbon paper" sheetsto beeasily, quickl and conveniently deta-chedfrom and reattached to the backing sheet; even when the holder is in use in a typewriteror" equivalent machine. As a result, typographical errorsscan be readily corrected, without removal of theholder from the machine in which it is bein .used.

A further object of'the present invention 'is-th'e" provisionof a carbon paper holder in which the carbon paper. sheets have carbon coatings of varying thickness or hardness, the coatings be ineof diminishing thickness or hardness" from the. topmost carbon sheet, which in use-of the" holder is subjected to the greatest wear; to the lowermost carbonsheet, which is subjected tothele'ast wear; As the result of this gradation-inthe thickness or hardness of the carbon sheet: coatings, there is a uniformity in the wear'ofthe: various carbon sheets, which materially prolongs their usefullif-e, and further, a uniformity-"in the carbon deposit on the copy sheets so-that they are alike. in appearance as to the typing" thereon.

Arurther'object of the present 'invention'is the provision of acarbon paper holder in which the lower orbottom edge. portions of the carbonpaper sheets not-only are. free of carbon coatings; so .that such portions may be grippedinthe inter-- leaving of-the co py sheets with thecar'bonsheets without soiling the fingers, but also,- are oflaterallystepped form to facilitate.and expedite the interleaving operation.

A further object'of thepresent inventionis-the provision of a. carbonv paper holder which its characterizedv by. its; structural simplicity, the= 2'. economy: of its manufacture; its strong and sturdy: nature,- and" the ease and-convenience' of its use.

Fur-then objects of the present invention, and

4 certain: ofits pra-ctical advantages, will be referred'rto inorwill be evidentfrom the following description ofa. carbon paper holder embodying one formoffthepresent invention,- as illustratedinithefaccompanying' drawings, in which:

Fig; lfis aafrontelevational'view of said carbon paper liolder;

Fig.1? is=a front perspectiveview, on an en' larged scale, of the upper or top edge portions oi' three-carbon.paper'sheets of the holder;

Fig; 3' isa similar view of the upper or top edge portion ofthe backing sheet of theholder;

Fig? 4 and Bare. front perspective views, on-

the scale of Figs; 2 and 3', showing the mannerin which and the means'by. which the carbon paper -sheets=are-.-detachably interlocked with the backing-sheet;-

Fi B -is a-front elevational viewof the carbon paper-:liolder, as'supplied with copy sheets for" useirr atypewriter'or' equivalent machine, parts" ofJce-rtain sheets being broken aW-a'ytO show underlying sheet Fig; a detail longitudinal sectional view on theline*1'1 -ofFig. 6, but with only a singlecar borrzpaper sheet and two copy paper sheetsbeing shown 1 for 'simplicity of illustration; and

Fig; 8 'is'a-front perspective view of the lower or" bottom edge'portion of the holder, showing the-lateral" stepped arrangement of the lower orbottom edge portions of the carbon paper'sheets' to' facilitate the interleavingof the copy sheets with'the carbon-paper sheets.

Before the carbon paper holder here chosen for illustration-is specifically described, it is to be unders'toodlthatthe invention here involved is' not'limited tothe structural details or the-specific'arrangemen-t'of'parts here shown, as carbon" paper holders embodying the 'present' invention may take vari-ous forms; It also is to be understood that the terminology orphraseol-ogy herein used -isfor'purppses of descriptionand not of thedisclosure ofoneembodiment of the present 0 invention,- comprises a generally rectangular backing" sheet" I0, of any suitable flexible ma: terial of thin and durable character, such as heavy p per; cardboard-or 'the'like, anda plurali ty OF'carbOn'papersheets ll, generally core responding-insize and" shape with the backing sheet, and arranged in superposed registering relation on the backing sheet, with the upper end portion of the carbon paper sheets being detachably interlocked with the upper end portion of the backing sheet in the manner and by the means hereinafter described.

As best shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the backing sheet In is provided at its upper end with a transverse fold or hinge line E2 to provide a top flap 13 which normally is folded downwardly to overlie the top edge portions [4 of the carbon paper sheets I I, portions which preferably are not coated with carbon to reduce their thickness.

Below the fold line l2, the backing sheet is die cut to provide a pair of laterally spaced upwardly extending tabs 16, upon which the carbon paper sheets are hung or removably suspended, th uncoated top edge portions M of the carbon paper sheets being die cut to provide each of them with a pair of transverse slots I! of a size to more or less snugly receive the tabs [6, said slots being laterally spaced in accordance with the spacing of said tabs.

In the present embodiment of the invention, the tabs I6 have straight and generally parallel side edges l8 and an arcuate or crown-shaped top edge portion l9. As shown in Figs. 1, 5, 6 and '7, the tabs i6 normally overlie the depending top flap [3 of the backing sheet, and to releasably interlock said tabs with said flap, a pair of transverse, laterally spaced slots 2! are die cut in the flap to receive the middle parts of the top edge portions of the tabs, as in Figs. 1, 5, 6 and 7.

As here shown, the backing sheet flap I3 extends downwardly below the fold or hinge lines 22 of the upwardly extending tabs i6, and to enable said tabs to overlie said flap, a pair of laterally spaced notches or recesses 23 are provided in the lower or free edge portion of said flap. Preferably, the lower edges 24 of the flap portions which 4 underlie the tabs IS, the transverse edges of the notches or recesses 23 in the present embodiment of the invention, are so located with respect to the tabs l6 that such edges must be more or less crowded down alongside the fold or hinge lines 22 of the tabs. As shown in Fig. '7, this causes those portions 25 of the carbon paper sheets which are above the slots l'i thereof to be pushed rearwardly into the backing sheet openings formed by the provision of the tabs [6, thus additional interlocking the carbon paper sheets with the backing sheet and further insuring the maintenance of the carbon paper sheets in registry with one another and with the backing sheet.

In the use of the present holder, copy sheets 21, of a number to provide the desired number of carbon copies of the matter to be typed, are interleaved or alternately arranged with the carbon paper sheets, as indicated in Fig. 6. Each copy sheet is so inserted that its top edge portion is in engagement with the bottom edge portions of the tabs $6, the tabs thus forming guiding stops for the copy sheets, as will be readily understood. The paper sheet Z'la, such as a letterhead or the like, which is to constitute the original or ribbon copy of the typed matter, is arranged, of course, over the topmost carbon paper sheet, with the top edge portion of the sheet 21a being positioned beneath the portions of the backing sheet flap 13 at the sides of the notches or recesses 23, and with the tabs l6 forming guiding stops for such sheet 21a.

Theholder with its associated copy sheets 21, 21a is inserted into a typewriter or equivalent machine in the usual manner, the thinness of the top edge portion of the holder enabling its ready insertion into the machine, even though the holder contains a relatively large number of carbon sheets and associated copy sheets.

Should a typographical error be made, the removal of the holder from the machine for the correction of said error is wholly unnecessary. All that is required is that the operator remove the tabs Hi from the flap slots 2|, turn the flap upwardly, and remove from the tabs, in the manner indicated in Fig. 4, the top portions of the several carbon paper sheets. Upon the correction of the error, the carbon paper sheets are again hung on the tabs, the flap l3 turned down beneath the tabs, and the tabs reinserted into the flap slots 2|. This can all be done while the holder is in the machine and without disturbing the original registering relationship of the carbon paper sheets and the copy sheets. The removal of the tabs I6 from the flap slots 2! and their reinsertion into said slots is an exceedingly simple and convenient operation, requiring but a few seconds, and the removal of the carbon paper sheets from the tabs l6 and their remounting thereon are equally easy and rapid operations.

To enable the copy sheets 21', 21a to be simultaneously removed from the holder, the lower right hand corner portions of the backing sheet 16 and the carbon paper sheets II are cut away, as shown in Figs. 1, 6 and 8. The lower right hand corner portions of the copy sheets thus project beyond the holder, and by gripping such projecting corner portions, the copy sheets may be easily and quickly removed from the holder as a group or unit.

In the interleaving of the copy sheets 21 with the carbon paper sheets II, the lower edge portions 29 of the carbon paper sheets are manually gripped, and the carbon paper sheets lifted for the successive insertion of the copy sheets. To prevent soiling of the fingers in the interleaving operation, the lower edge portions 29 of the carbon paper sheets are not coated with carbon, and to facilitate and expedite the interleaving operation, the bottom edge portions 29 of the carbon paper sheets are of progressively varying lengths, as shown in Fig. 8. This lateral stepped arrangement of the carbon sheet portions 29 enables the carbon paper sheets to be lifted as a unit, and the sheets successively dropped as the copy sheets are inserted. All that the operator needs to do is to slide her thumb along the lower surfaces of the carbon sheet portions 29, with a carbon paper sheet being dropped for every half inch of thumb movement if that distance is used, as here, in the provision of the stepped arrangement. To enable the carbon paper sheets to be lifted as a unit, the bottom edge portion of the backing sheet may be provided with a suitable notch or recess 30, as shown in Fig. 8.

In order to obtain uniform wear of the carbon paper sheets, with consequent prolongation of their useful life, and in order that the carbon copies will be of uniform appearance as to the typed matter thereon, the carbon paper sheets are of different grades, as to their carbon coating, in the arrangement of such sheets on the backing sheet. As th top carbon paper sheet is subjected to the greatest wear, and the bottom sheet to the least, the carbon coatings on the sheets are of progressively diminishing thickness or hardness from the topmost sheet to the lowermost sheet. Thus, the carbon coating of each sheet is of a thickness or hardness to enable it to withstand the wear to which it is subjected, and as the order of arrangement of the carbon paper sheets is not changed in the use of the holder, maximum life of the carbon paper sheets and the production of uniform carbon copies are always assured.

The backing sheet l0 preferably is made with smooth and hard finished surfaces, at least as to its upper surface, and as a result, the type impressions on the copy sheets are not only sharper than they would be without such a backin sheet but also, of uniform sharpness. Thus, with the present holder, more and sharper copies can be made than would otherwise be possible.

If desired, the carbon paper sheets may be of the well known treated type, such as war treated carbon sheets. Sheets of this type are, of course, stronger than untreated sheets, with little or no tendency to curl, and further, provide a reinforcement of the uncoated upper and lower edge portions it, 29 of the sheets, a reinforcement which desirably stifiens the lower edge portions 29 of the carbon sheets and minimizing any tendency of the tab-receiving slots ll in the top edge portions 29 from becoming enlarged.

As will be readily understood, the number of carbon sheets of the holder may be varied, as desired. For convenient identification, the outer surface of the top flap l3 of the backing sheet may be marked with the number of the carbon sheets, and by providing an operator with holders of differing numbers of carbon sheets, the holder containing the number of sheets for the desired number of carbon copies can be selected.

To those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates, further features and advantages of carbon paper holders embodying the present invention Will be evident from the foregoing description of one such embodiment.

What I claim is:

1. A carbon paper holder, comprising a flexible backing sheet, and a plurality of carbon paper sheets arranged in superposed registering relation on said backing sheet, said backing sheet being provided adjacent its upper end with a pair of laterally spaced upwardly extending hinged tabs and each of said carbon paper sheets being provided adjacent its upper end with a pair of corresponding spaced slots through which said tabs extend, said backing sheet also being provided with a depending hinged flap underlying said tabs and having a pair of laterally spaced slots into which the upper end portions of said tabs are inserted to detachably interlock said tabs and said fiap, said tabs being integral parts I each tab being arcuate and convex in shape, said flap extending downwardly below said tabs and the lower edge portion of said flap being provided with notches, each notch of a width to snugly receive one of said tabs, the upper edge of each notch substantially overlying and coinciding with the fold line of its associated tab, whereby said tabs are readily inserted into or removed from said slots without excessively bending said tab by grasping the flap hinge line and pressing forwardly on said backing sheet to bend the portions of said flap between said hinge line and each slot for opening the slots and whereby said tabs and notches serve as a locating surface for the top edges of the original and copy sheets to be placed on top of and between said carbon paper sheets.

2. A carbon paper holder, comprising a flexible backing sheet for releasably holding a plurality of carbon paper sheets arranged in superposed registering relation on said backing sheet, said backing sheet being provided adjacent its upper end with a pair of laterally spaced upwardly eX- tending hinged tabs for engaging a pair of corresponding spaced slots in the upper ends of said carbon paper sheets, said backing sheet also being provided with a depending hinged flap underlying said tabs in assembled position and having a pair of laterally spaced slots into which the upper end portions of said tabs are inserted to detachably interlock said tabs and said flaps, each slot being approximately the same Width as the fold line of its associated tab, the upper end portion of each tab insertable into its associated slot having a convex curve outline and having the curve starting at approximately the tab fold line, said flap extending downwardly below said tabs and the lower edge portion of said flap being provided with notches, each of a width to snugly receive one of said tabs, the upper edge of each notch substantially overlying and coinciding with the fold line of its associated tab, the length of each tab from its fold line to its outer edge being only slightly greater than the distance between its associated slot and bottom of its associated notch, whereby said tabs can be readily inserted into or removed from said slots and notches without excessively bending said tabs.

VINCENT J. ST. JOHN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 132,324 Rogers Oct. 15, 1872 747,861 Deckert 1 Dec. 22, 1903 1,049,602 Rodenhi Jan. 7, 1913 1,702,834 Lentz Feb. 19, 1929 2,095,792 Cooper Aug. 3, 1936 2,228,045 Baskerville Jan. 7, 1941 2,432,363 Wrigley Dec. 9, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 417,055 Germany Aug. 3, 1923 

